Currently containers, such as hollow plastic containers, and the like are provided with bar codes to track inventory and to identify inventory and to identify products at point of sale. It would be highly desirable to provide a more efficient system for this purpose as well as for other purposes where-tracking and/or identification are desirable.
Radio frequency identification (RFID) may be effectively used for this purpose. It involves the use of a small computer or memory chip that may uniquely identify an item when read by a scanner. Thus, using RFID one may simply and conveniently, for example, locate and track items in stockrooms and in stores, minimize backroom storage of merchandise, accurately identify returned merchandise, allow customers to check out by simply scanning the carts, and facilitate identification, counting and location of items in a rapid manner. Moreover, RFID can provide numerous other advantages, such as monitoring product expiration dates and identifying when products need to be removed from shelves, tracking inventory, tracking temperature history, and warning when shoplifting occurs and counterfeiting of product.
Thus, RFID technology can be expected to replace the familiar product bar codes and indeed provide numerous advantages thereover, some of which are indicated hereinabove. These are small and unobtrusive and can be easily and readily tracked and monitored to provide simple and rapid identification and data for a variety of purposes.
However, it would be highly advantageous to inexpensively and permanently apply RFID to products such that the identification does not represent an aesthetically objectionable configuration and is tamper proof. Simply adhering the RFID by adhesive means or applying same to a label would clearly not be entirely satisfactory.
It is, therefore, a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved plastic article which has radio frequency identification (RFID) simply, conveniently and expeditiously applied thereto.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved article as aforesaid with permanent application of RFID thereto and with the unobtrusive location of same on the article.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an improved article as aforesaid that enables the effective application of RFID to a wide variety of articles, such as consumer products, pallets and other articles where RFID would be advantageous.
It is an additional object of the present invention to provide an improved plastic article including RFID integrally applied thereto.
Further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear hereinbelow.